‘Saving the Earth’

I agree with your editorial that the United States must take the lead in tackling environmental issues, but I don’t feel the editorial went far enough in bringing the issue home.

The fact is that we as individuals can and must make changes in our own daily habits in order to preserve the planet. Although it’s imperative that politicians, environmental specialists and industries from countries around the world make pacts to reduce the greenhouse effect and rain forest destruction, individual citizens here in Los Angeles can also make a difference in improving environmental conditions.

The slogan “Think global, act local” has to become a reality in our everyday lives. So the question arises: How do we even begin to address this seemingly insurmountable set of problems? The answer:

When you go to work, see if you can car pool with a nearby friend. When you grab your first cup of coffee at the office, make sure you pour it into a reusable mug or paper coffee cup. After work, drop off all the bottles, cans and newspapers you’ve accumulated at a recycling center. At the grocery store, when you’re getting food for dinner, buy organically grown fruit and vegetables to avoid pesticides, and ask the checker for a paper bag, not plastic. And finally, over the weekend, sweep the sidewalk instead of hosing it down with water, and shut the lights off on your way to the beach!

These are some of the small steps each of us must begin to take so that together we can actively participate in making our world a livable place for generations to come.

MICHAEL A. STUSSER

Los Angeles